Ordinary Moments
by Shuuri
Summary: Going to be a collection of random moments between characters. Chapter 6.5: "They were just a pair of liars."
1. Coffee

**Ordinary Moments**

* * *

Chatper 1:

Coffee

* * *

Feldt Grace-san drank only two kinds of coffee: strong straight black with no sugar when she's working and one with a lot of milk and sugar when she's not.

The first kind made her wince at the first sip. The second kind made her frown all the way to the last drop.

Mileina wondered why she had coffee at all if it was such a torture to her.

Then, one day, she met Seiei-san in the kitchen. She was surprised to see that he's making coffee. _Two_ cups of coffee.

Setsuna F. Seiei-san didn't drink coffee, tea or alcohol. A plain and simple fact.

So, she became even more surprised when she asked him and he told her that he's making coffee for himself and for Feldt Grace.

She asked if he knew that Feldt-san didn't really like coffee and he said he didn't know.

Still, he took the two cups to the dining room, where Feldt-san was.

Mileina watched them with baited breath. If she saw it right he took with him two black coffee. Feldt-san, she wondered if she's going to be all right drinking it dark, not working and all.

Seiei-san put the cup in front of Feldt-san. She looked up and seemed surprised.

Seiei-san sat down across from her and drank his coffee calmly. Mileina didn't dare blinking. This was the first time she saw him drink coffee, she wanted to make sure that she's really seeing it.

Hesitantly, Feldt-san reached for the cup. She looked into it, and frowned. But then, she brought it to her mouth and took a sip.

Mileina cringed.

Slowly, Feldt-san put the cup down. She looked at Seiei-san and said something.

Mileina's mouth dropped.

Seiei-san smiled --- a small, small smile but a smile nonetheless. He was smiling as he said something back to her.

Feldt-san - was she blushing? - laughed a little and took the cup in her hands again. She finished the drink without much pain as she usually did. It even seemed that she's actually enjoying it.

"Mileina? What are you doing there?"

Mileina jumped and turned around. "Mama."

She never knew what happened after that since her mother wasn't too happy with her behavior and decided to drag her off to help with work in the hangers.

Later, when she asked him about it, Seiei-san said that Feldt-san drank those two kinds because _they_ used to drink that when they had their coffee with her.

"Feldt Grace doesn't dislike coffee. But when she drinks one, she wants to feel like she's drinking it with someone, that's all."

Too absorbed in his answer, Mileina never got to ask what kind of coffee Seiei-san made for Feldt-san.


	2. Shopping

**Ordinary Moments**

* * *

Chatper 2:

Shopping

* * *

"I'll come with you. Give me a moment."

It had become an expected line heard from Tieria Erde whenever Mileina Vashti and Feldt Grace decided to go shopping.

They always told him and he always went with them.

Lockon Stratos waited until the door slid properly close behind him that he got up and walked up to the young woman.

Mileina's eyes grew wide at his question. Then, she giggled.

"I'm not really sure myself, Stratos-san," she said. "But since I boarded Ptolemaios, we have been going shopping the three of us together every time. A sort of tradition, I suppose. But it's very nice of Erde-san since I usually buy a lot of things and it's hard for us to carry all the bags by ourselves. Besides," Mileina's eyes twinkled brightly. "Erde-san just looks too good for me to not go with them."

He didn't quite understand what she meant by 'too good'. Good as in 'pretty'? There's no denying that if Tieria were to dress up as a girl he would beat any beautiful woman easily anywhere anytime. But why would he want to look like a girl? Camouflage? Hobby? No, the last part was too scary.

The door slid open and in came Feldt Grace. She looked good in the uniform but in private clothes she looked better. White and blue suited her well, he thought.

She gave him a sort-of-greeting smile when she saw him, then turned to ask, "You're ready, Mileina?"

"I am!" said Mileina with much enthusiasm. "Where's Erde-san?"

"He's waiting for us in the—"

"Feldt, have you seen my glasses?"

Lockon turned and his mouth _almost_ dropped.

Stepping into the lounge was one of the most _handsome_ young men he had ever seen in his life.

Handsome. He never there would come a day he would use that word to describe Tieria Erde.

Hair tied back, face glasses-free, and dressed simply in a pale green shirt, black pants and a light coat over, he looked more of a young man than he previously thought he could ever looked.

How...bizarre.

"Oh," Feldt looked in her bag. "I have your glasses. Would you like to wear them now?"

"Keep them for me, then. Are you two ready to go?" he asked, nodding slightly in his direction, which Lockon returned in kind automatically.

"We are! Is Seiei-san coming with us this time?"

"Yes. He's already in the car. By the way, Ian was looking for you, Mileina."

"Papa? No way, he's not making me stay and work, is he? I'll hate him if he does that!"

Feldt laughed a little and put her hand on the girl's shoulder. "I'm sure it's not _that_. I'll come with you. We'll see you at the car, Tieria."

Mileina happily went with Feldt. Tieria meant to leave the room but stopped when Lockon spoke. "I hear you always go shopping with them. Never thought you were the type to like this kind of thing."

Tieria spared a glance over his shoulder. "…I just follow the tradition."

"What tradition?" he asked.

"Repelling insects."

Lockon blinked.

The door opened. "Good tactical operators are difficult to come by. Seeing to their general safety is part of our, the Meisters', duty."

"…It sounds more like an excuse. A very stupid sounding one at that."

Tieria stepped out, but before the door closed completely, Lockon heard him said, "That's what I told Lockon Stratos when he first said those words to me."


	3. Simulation

**Ordinary Moments**

* * *

Chatper 3:

Simulation

* * *

_This is your mission, Lockon. Do you think you can do it?_

Thinking back, it's not really a question of whether he could or couldn't do it but would he do it.

Looking into those eyes, he couldn't find a trace of the girl he knew in them. Indifferently cold and determined, she looked back at him and was about as ready as he was for the time that had yet to come.

The time that would decide it all.

"Why?" he gritted out. "Why, of all people, must it be you? Why are you doing this, Feldt?"

"Shouldn't you know the answer to your own question better than anyone else? After all, you are the only person that I ever told anything about myself to."

It hurt. It hurt almost as much as when he lost his family back at that time. He wondered again what made him accept the mission. If it was Tieria or Setsuna then they wouldn't have trouble completing. But if he let either of them or anyone else do it…

He would regret it for the rest of his life.

"You can't be doing it out of revenge. You're not that kind of person," he whispered.

"How do you know? What do you know about me besides the things that I told you? And if I'm doing it out of revenge, then you are the last person who can say anything about it. After all, didn't you join Celestial Being, becoming a Gundam Meister, because of that same reason?"

Her aim was good and her will was as strong as he knew it to be. And no matter what he said or did, nothing's going to change her mind. There was nothing else he could do.

_This is the only way. If you can't do it, if you fail…_

His finger over the trigger felt stiff. His hand, his whole arm…it was as though that part did not belong to him. He forced it to be still.

So that he wouldn't miss.

…_if you fail, then it will be the end of everything and us all._

Rain. It must be raining. He couldn't quite see through the fog but he knew he's not going to miss. There's no way he's going to miss.

"You're right, I don't know anything about you except what you have told me," said Lockon quietly. "But I believe that you are not a girl who would take her parents' wills so lightly to be blinded by false hatred and betray her friends – her family – to satisfy selfish feelings and wishes that she knows would never be granted."

The rain…must have fallen more. He couldn't see anymore and was glad that he didn't have to see the unwavering determination that had always been there in her eyes since everything had started.

"Feldt… Please stop it. Stop…all of this…. Let's go back. Together."

_Please._

Silence. It's getting harder to breathe and his arm was becoming numb. But until the answer that would decide the outcome of this madness came from her, even if he lost his arm or die here he's not going to move.

"Lockon," said Feldt, finally. "I never cared about my parents' wills. I don't care what their reasons might be but what's clear to me is they left me behind. I hate Celestial Being for taking them away. I hate Celestial Being for making them meet. I hate Celestial Being for being the reason that I was born at all to this life. And—" a soft, shivering breath. "—More than all those things together I hate it for leading me to you."

_Click._

"I hate you, Lockon Stratos."

_Bang._

_

* * *

  
_

"Mission complete. How was it? What do you think?"

Pushing himself up, Lockon Stratos shook his head a little and rubbed his eyes as though he was sleepy. His voice, when he replied, was hoarse. "Terrible. I'm never doing this level again."

Sumeragi Lee Noriega frowned. "Was it that bad? But you did complete it quite fast. Were there bugs or some malfunctioning?"

"No," he put his hand over his eyes and she wondered if he had a headache and whether it was the side effect of the simulation. "It was too smooth and too real, in fact, that I don't ever want to do it again. Don't let Setsuna or Allelujah try this level. Actually, get it out of the training at all will be even better."

"How can you expect me to get rid of it when you don't explain why it's so bad if telling me the system's running perfectly?" she was exasperated.

A strained smile from him. She noticed then that the rims of his eyes were strangely red.

"Because you are our excellent and reliable tactical forecaster as well as a capable and considerate trainer. By the way, do you know where Feldt is?"

"I suppose she's in the hanger, checking on Dynames' OS. Where are you going?"

He walked past her, heading toward the door. "To the hanger."

"Why?"

The door opened. Not looking back, Lockon put up his hand and waved carelessly. "To ask her to slap me. I need to wake up."

The door slid closed behind him with a soft hush.

Sumeragi turned to frown at the device. "Could it be that the task's too easy and boring?"

* * *

_  
Your mission, Lockon Stratos, is to eliminate the traitor._


	4. Sleepless Night and Morning After

**Ordinary Moments**

* * *

Chatper 4:

Sleepless Night and Morning After

* * *

How…annoying.

A deep frown between her brows, Soma Peries put a hand to her temple. This dull, throbbing headache again. Not that it was such a big deal because it wasn't. Usually a few pills would make it go away but, lately, she had become sick of it. Well, anyone would have felt the same, wouldn't they, suppose they were to have to take painkillers every night for a week and more.

Sighing, she pushed the blanket away and got off the bed.

It wasn't Marie Parfacy and it had nothing to do with her, that much she knew. Besides the tiredness from lack of sleep, Marie didn't suffer the same damned headache like she did when she was herself. It was strange…

Soma shrugged into the jacket, frowning at the darkness.

It was very strange that Marie should still be sound asleep in the deep recesses of the mind while she was wide awake. Having shared the same body and, to a point, consciousness, they usually slept and woke about the same time. But now….

She shook her head and turned toward the door.

If it wasn't Marie, then it must be her. But what could have kept her up? Was something bothering her? The war's over. There's nothing left for her to worry about. Allelujah Haptism quitted being a Gundam Meister and Marie decided to follow him to live on Earth. Everything was all right, so…

Why did it feel so wrong?

The door slid open and she found herself in the quiet, deserted cafeteria. Perhaps some hot drink would help.

She turned and stood rooted to the spot.

There, in front of the coffee maker and in the middle of pouring coffee into a cup, was one wide-eyed Allelujah Haptism.

He blinked at her.

She stared back at him.

Then…

"Why the hell are you here?"

---

It wasn't Allelujah Haptism at all.

"Here."

_Tok_. A white cup was placed before her. Steam rose in slow twists and the sweet smell told her that it wasn't coffee at all but…

"Cocoa?"

He sat down. "Don't drink if you have a problem with it."

She looked up. "But weren't you making coffee earlier?"

He brought the cup to his mouth. "It's for me, woman, not you. Besides, aren't you going to sleep tonight at all or what?"

Her eyes narrowed. "None of your business if I choose to stay awake. I want coffee."

"Then why tell me? If you want it, be my guest and go make it yourself."

She glared, irritation mounting fast. That I-don't-give-you-or-anything-a-damn attitude of his, normally she couldn't have cared less but tonight… Tonight it really got on her nerves for some reasons.

Soma opened her mouth, the heated retort ready on her tongue, but then she noticed…

"What are you doing?" she asked, frowning at the pen and papers.

"Writing a letter."

A letter. That's quite old. "Can't you send emails or what?"

"I can. But she will appreciate it more this way."

_She?_ "Marie?"

He glanced up at her, annoyance clear in his eyes. "Why would I want to write to _her_? I'll be seeing - hell, living - with her every friging day once we leave this place, won't I?"

"Who then?"

He stopped writing and looked up, considering her. Then, he smirked. "None of your business. Brat."

That did it.

She stood up and almost yelled at him. "Who are you calling brat, bastard!"

He chuckled. "There are only two of us here. Since the one calling is me, so, obviously, the one who's called is you, Soma Peries."

She meant to throw the cup of cooled cocoa at his head but it wasn't there in front of her anymore. He had taken it away from her at some point when she didn't notice, it seemed.

Glaring daggers at him, she felt like ripping him to pieces with bare hands as he continued to sip coffee and continue away with his letter.

"Don't you have someone you want to write to?" he asked, voice light.

Soma blinked. _Huh?_ "What?"

He put the pen down and started folding the paper. The back of that paper, she noted, was patterned and colored in pink and green.

The paper didn't look like it was meant for writing.

"You must have realized that we are going to disappear sometimes very soon."

The words didn't shock her as much as it should as her attention at that moment was focused all on his hands.

She watched him. Deliberately, smoothly, those hands kept folding that paper, turning, pulling, and pressing it. What was he trying to do?

"A brat told me one time that if you made a wish on a thousand paper cranes the wish would come true."

The flat, dimension-less paper she saw earlier became now a frail little bird in his hands.

He put it down and looked at it. That kind of expression, she never thought he was capable of it. To think that he could smile like that….

"Even though we know our thoughts and feelings would never reach them, we can't help but hope that somehow they would know and understand. A pretty lie of a ritual designed to comfort the regrets so that words that were not said and can no longer be heard and things that were not done and can no longer be done would all become promises of 'the next time we meet each other again'. Somehow by doing this, these thoughts would be conveyed to them. But the whole thing is, of course, stupid and ridiculous," he chuckled. "Still, coming from a stupid brat like her, I suppose it makes sense. And for me to be doing a thing such as this, I must be losing it." He flicked lightly at the bird. "Naturally, I don't believe a word she told me."

"Hallelujah…" she whispered.

"We are disappearing, Soma Peries. Disappearing in a sense that we are becoming one with our counterparts. The split, the gap, whatever that they had done to us is coming down – thanks to that Setsuna brat." He smiled wryly. "I knew it's going happen but I didn't expect it to be this soon. Less so that I met you tonight and bothered enough to go so far as explaining things." He swept the bird up in one hand and took his cup and her untouched cocoa with the other. "Clean the rest up and stop with the thinking and taking pills. Your disturbed quantum brainwave is annoying."

Without waiting to hear her response, he left in the direction of the kitchen.

'The rest' he left for her to clean were a pen and a paper.

"The jerk," she murmured, smiling a small involuntary smile. No wonder she thought the deliberation was unnatural earlier. He knew that she remembered it even though she saw him only once.

"_Don't you have someone you want to write to?"_

Soma touched the paper.

"...Colonel."

---

When Marie Parfacy woke up the next morning, she didn't feel the usual tiredness that she had been feeling for the past week or so. She was a little surprised at the strangely...complete feeling that she didn't quite know what it was but felt its fading traces nonetheless somewhere in her mind. She decided she would ask Allelujah about it later and got off the bed. Then, she saw, on the desk, a neatly folded paper crane with a small note next to it.

Picking up the paper, she read.

_Marie Parfacy,_

_When you and Allelujah leave for the Earth, I would like for you to visit the colonel's grave and bury the bird next to it._

_I hope you and Allelulah will find what you are searching for and that you will live a happy life with him._

_Soma Peries_

She re-read the note again and turned to the bird. Pretty little thing, it's almost a pity to bury it but if it's Soma's wish then she would definitely see to it that it's granted.

Heading to the cafeteria, she passed Feldt on the way and called to her.

"Good morning, Marie-san," said Feldt.

"Good morning. Have you had breakfast already?"

"Yes. Linda-san made some pancakes for all of us. Allelujah saved you some and was waiting for you."

"I see—" a familiar pink and green peeked from between her fingers. "—Feldt-san, is that…a crane?"

"Huh? Oh, yes." She opened her hand and there, sitting on her palm, was the paper bird that looked almost the same as the one in her own room.

Marie stared at it.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" said Feldt. "He has always been so much better at it than me that I get a little irritated with him sometimes but…" a small, sad smile. "With this one, we have a complete thousand of them."

"Thousand?" Marie echoed. That many?

"If you make a wish on a thousand paper cranes, then the wish will come true," said Feldt. "A friend of mine taught me that."

"Oh," murmured Marie. "What's your wish?"

---

"Marie!"

Marie smiled and went to sit next to him.

"Linda-san made pancakes. Try some. They are very good," he said cheerfully.

"Allelujah."

"Yes?"

"Did you talk to Feldt-san today?"

He poured coffee into a cup and handed it to her. "I did. We were talking about the trip to Earth next week."

She dropped two sugars into the cup and asked, quietly, "Did she say anything else?"

Allelujah looked at her, a little confused. "No." He thought a moment. "No. But at the end, I'm not sure why but she said 'Thank you'."

Stirring, she looked down at the dark swirling liquid. "Allelujah…"

"_My wish…"_

"…do you know how to fold a paper into a crane?"

"_...on the thousand cranes is for all of us to meet each other again someday."_

"No."

"_Every one of us."_


	5. Out of Bounds

**Ordinary Moments**

* * *

Chatper 5:

"Out of Bounds"

* * *

_Space, Ptolemaios' hangers_

---

"Anew Returner."

Ian Vashti nodded. "She's a beauty, of course. I did say it myself before. But then, when it comes down to it, Linda's better. Think about it. Nobody would have guessed she's married and already has a kid!"

"She's your wife," argued Lockon Stratos. "Of course, you would say that!"

"I heard Linda-san was one of the most beautiful women in the department when she was younger," said Lasse Aeon thoughtfully. "Not that she's not pretty now. But I agree with Lockon. She's your wife, so it's just natural that you're biased. Maybe we should count only the single ones?"

"Then it can't be anyone else but Anew," grinned Lockon. "If it's about women then nobody knows it better than me. She's about as perfect as you can get."

"I don't know, Lockon. I think Marie is very beautiful myself," put in Allelujah quietly, coloring a little.

"Allelujah, you are just as bad as Ian. Both of you are far too deep in love to look at things objectively. Anyone would agree that, out of all the girls here, Anew Returner is the most beautiful."

"But I saw Tieria that time," said Lasse. "Dressed up. He's even more beautiful than most women."

Ian, Lockon, Allelujah stared at him.

"Well…" Allelujah frowned, troubling over the thought. "You're right. He's…beautiful."

"But that's out of bounds!" said Lockon, looking at Allelujah as though he couldn't believe he would even think about it.

"Definitely out," Ian muttered.

At that moment the door opened and in came Setsuna F. Seiei and Saji Crossroad.

"Hey, Setsuna, Saji!" called Ian, waving at them. "Come here for a second!"

The two exchanged a small, confused look but then moved to join them.

"Is there a change in plan?" Setsuna asked.

"No, no. Setsuna – and you, too, Saji – who do you think is the most beautiful girl here on board?" asked Lockon, grinning.

Setsuna and Saji blinked blankly at them.

"Excuse…me?" said Saji, staring at the group, eyes wide.

"There's Sumeragi. She's the more mature one. Intelligent – after all she's our excellent forecaster – capable, and sexy. Quite a beauty. I wouldn't be surprised if she's to be on Earth and had a hoard of fans wherever she chose to work. Next is Mileina---"

"My daughter's not part of this!" Ian interrupted, coldly.

"Neither is his wife. But Mileina is definitely more on the cute list," said Lasse, and laughed when he received dagger looks from her father. "Isn't that good? She takes after her mother more than her father, that is?"

Ian didn't have the opportunity to retort as Lockon continued smoothly, "Next up is Anew Returner. Beautiful, graceful, a great cook, a capable medic, a wonderful mechanic—"

"He's _very_ biased," Allelujah said to Setsuna and Saji.

Lockon coughed. "Anyway. There're also the other two girls that you know. So, here are the candidates. What's the verdict?"

Lasse frowned. "How come you don't describe them at all?"

Lockon suddenly became solemn, though the twinkle in his eyes was a dead give away. "I'm not at all in the place to describe the first and I don't know very well the latter. But if you want me to go on with my personal observations, then I will."

"Please don't," said Allelujah with a sort of grimace. "Besides, I think that we talk about them this way is quite rude."

"Well, I still say Anew is the most beautiful," said Lockon, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Linda," nodded Ian.

"Sumeragi-san isn't half-bad," put in Lasse.

"Marie," murmured Allelujah.

"…Louise," whispered Saji.

Setsuna was quiet.

"And you, Setsuna?" asked Lockon, turning to him.

Setsuna thought a moment, then looked to where the Gundams stood. His gaze lingered on one particular unit.

"Setsuna, _that's_ even more out of bounds than Tieria," said Ian, shaking his head.

"He's as hopeless as that guy and Veda," laughed Lasse.

"You can't count _that_, Setsuna," said Allelujah seriously.

Saji then remembered how Ian-san told him about the degree which Setsuna was infatuated with his Gundam. He looked to Setsuna and gave him a firm head shake.

"I know, it's that princess from Azadistan!" Lockon smirked. "She _is_ beautiful. You have good eyes."

Setsuna frowned. "I never thought of her that way. People say she's beautiful, so I suppose she is."

"But what do _you _think?" Lockon pressed. "Is there anyone at all – a person, a _girl _– that you find, you know, good looking? Pretty? Attractive? Cute?"

Again, Setsuna thought about it. He glanced at the direction of the Gundams, opened his mouth and—

Lockon groaned, putting his hand over his eyes.

Ian chuckled. "It's always been like that. Best to give up, Lockon."

Allelujah and Lasse, grinning, agreed.

"He has no eyes for anything or anyone else," said Allelujah almost benignly.

Lasse ruffled Setsuna's hair. "There's no need for you to hurry, though. You'll grow out of it soon enough."

Saji patted Setsuna's shoulder. "As Lasse-san said. When you realize it, you will know why that doesn't count and is _quite _out of bounds."

Setsuna's frown deepened. He wanted to ask them what they meant but then a cheerful voice exclaimed from behind them.

"Here you all are!" It was Mileina Vashti. "Sumeragi-san wants to talk to Stratos-san and Haptism-san about small changes in plan. Aeon-san, Returner-san needs you to go to the medical room now. Mama is asking for you, Papa. She wants you to have a look at the new formula. And Crossroad-san, will you lend me a hand moving things?"

"All right. Thanks Mileina. Come on, Allelujah."

"Medical room, huh? Oh well."

"Where is your mother?"

"What would you like moved, Mileina-san?"

Setsuna watched them leave. When the door closed and he was left to himself, he let out a sighing breath, shaking his head, looking both confused and frustrated at once. The whole thing was ridiculous and didn't make sense. If Tieria Erde had caught them, he would have given them all a long and deserving lecture. Still... he didn't understand it. Why couldn't it be counted or out of bounds if he thought…

"Setsuna."

His irritation went up a notch. Why was it that people kept interrupting him today?

He looked up, and the dark frown cleared. "Feldt Grace."

"Sorry it took so long to finish but I've made all the adjustments needed to the operating system of Gundam 00," she took his hand and came to stop before him. "The new pieces and data that I added to the supporting system should make the overall control smoother. With your latest compatibility result, I think the speed ratio should… Is something wrong, Setsuna?"

Setsuna looked at her a little longer. Then, he shook his head. "No. I just don't understand it, that's all."

A small frown between her brows, she asked. "What don't you understand?"

He shrugged. "That I remember thinking when we met the first time after four years that you've changed and become more beautiful. They said it didn't count and was out of bounds, which I didn't - and still don't - see how it should be so when that answered the question asked correctly."

Feldt, blushing to the roots of her hair, never asked him what the question was but continued on, with some stammers, the rest of her maintenance report.


	6. Departure

**Ordinary Moments**

* * *

Chapter 6:

Deaprture

* * *

Tieria Erde had always wondered… why was it that she never visited their graves? They were her important friends and comrades, weren't they? They were parts of her family, so why…

"Because we will definitely see each other again."

He looked at her, not understanding.

She wrote her name and put down the pen. "When you see someone off at the airport, you don't go back to that gate to remember the day they leave and cry, do you? You bid farewells, you wish them well, and you see them off. Then, you go back to your life, living and doing what you must do, and wait."

"It's not the same," he said quietly. "You know that they're never coming back. They'll not…come back."

She put the folded paper into the envelope. "I've never said that we're waiting for them to come back."

He looked up, surprised.

Sealing, she turned it over and wrote a name on the front. "When the time comes, we, too, will go through that gate and board the plane. Then, when we reach the destination…" she got up. "They will all be there, waiting, to take us home."

Tieria stood up.

Feldt Grace smiled. "Shall we send out our letters to them now, then?"

* * *

Chapter 6.5:

Pretty Excuses

* * *

What she told him were only pretty excuses. She didn't want to go because if she were to see those cold, sculpted stones and their names, she would be forced to accept it.

Their death. That…she had lost them. Forever.

Just like with her parents. If she didn't believe and do what she had been doing for these past years, she wouldn't have been able to hold on till this far. It was much easier for her to fight and continue on for some solid, living reasons than for an abstract, 200-years-old idealistic dream.

She couldn't fight for the deaths. What's the point of doing so when she knew and was too well aware that nothing she did would bring them back? There's no way she's going to die. Grief was not a good enough reason for her to stop everything and selfishly follow them. She was still alive and they wanted her to stay alive. They were her reasons to keep going and she needed her reasons to be alive in order to continue forward.

And so, she crafted out a story with pretty words of false hope that she could tell to herself and others, who suffered the same loss as she did, to convince herself that they were still out there somewhere and waiting.

_You are strong. You are a strong girl._

No, she wasn't. She wasn't a strong girl. Just like him who wasn't as honest as he made himself to be.

They were just a pair of liars.

_And that's the one thing that will always remain unchanged._

In the room where it all started, their letters burned quietly in the frail, dancing flame.

_This part of me. To you, who can no longer change._

"Did you say something?" asked Tieria, turning to look at her.

Feldt shook her head, holding Haro close. "No. I didn't say anything."

_Even if the hope is false, I'd very much like to meet you again._

"Lockon! Lockon! Lockon!" called Haro. The robot didn't stop even after the flame died, leaving behind only white ash.


End file.
